Erik Estrada Co-Hosting This Weekend’s Hollywood Christmas Parade

Erik Estrada is helping people get in the holiday spirit, Hollywood style.

The 74-year-old Puerto Rican actor and former CHiPs star is serving as the co-host of this year’s Hollywood Christmas Parade, a grand Hollywood tradition will kick off at 6:00 pm on Sunday and winds through the streets of the movie capital.

Erik EstradaEstrada, co-hosting the parade with Dean Cain, will be joined by Montel Williams, Laura McKenzie and Elizabeth Stanton.

Pre-parade entertainment will include the Village People, pop-opera singer Anna Azerli, and The Grinch. Parade performers will include the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles and California Springs Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Joining them are Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, dancer-singer Paula Abdul, singer Dwight Yoakum, radio host Kerri Kasem, pop duo Aly & AJ and actors Chris Kattan, Craig Robinson, Ernie Hudson, Brandon Routh, Ming-Na Wen, Denise Richards and Tatyana Ali.

Overall, the 3.2-mile route will showcase 90 celebrities and VIPs, 14 pre-parade and parade performers, 10 bands, six four-story-high character balloons, three floats, 39 movie cars and eight novelty vehicles. The show ends with an appearance by Santa Claus and his reindeer.

The parade supports Marine Toys for Tots. The event starts at Orange Street and Hollywood Boulevard, traveling east on Hollywood Boulevard to Vine Street, south on Vine Street to Sunset Boulevard and then west on Sunset, back to Orange.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Paris D. Davis, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in March, nearly 60 years after being nominated for his heroism during the Vietnam War, will be the grand marshal. The 84-year-old Davis was one of the first Black officers to serve in the Army’s elite Green Berets, recognized for the rescue of two severely injured soldiers during an intense battle in the Vietnam War.

Local marching bands taking part will include the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipe and Drums; the Oaxaca Philharmonic Band of Los Angeles; the Golden Valley High School Band of San Clarita; the PAVA World Traditional Korean Band of Los Angeles; the Compton High School Band; and the Los Angeles Catholic Schools Band of Torrance.

The parade has been held every year since 1928, except from 1942 to 1944, when World War II broke out, and in 2020, when it was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was first held in 1928, then known as the “Santa Claus Lane Parade.” Comedian Joe E. Brown was the first grand marshal in 1932, a role later filled by Bob Hope, Gene Autry, Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne, among others.

The parade will be rebroadcast on December 15 at 8:00 pm on The CW Network.

Luis Fonsi to Make Feature Film Acting Debut in Patrick Perez Vidauri’s Rom-Com “The Answer to My Prayer”

Luis Fonsi’s prayers have been answered…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer and Grammy winner will make his feature film acting debut in Patrick Perez Vidauri’s rom-com The Answer to My Prayer.

Luis FonsiIn addition to Fonsi, the film will also star Vannessa VasquezJackie Cruz, Vivian LamolliChris Kattan, Angélica María and Dyana Ortelli.

Written by Nancy De Los Santos-Reza, the film follows the romantic travails of three friends whose destinies are changed by an ancient prayer that guides them to true love. Vidauri and Cristina Nava’s Migrant Filmworks, Inc. is producing alongside Citizen Skull Productions, with Edward James Olmos executive producing.

Production is set to kick off in Texas next week.

In 1992, Fonsi made a brief cameo in the romance film Como Agua Para Chocolate. In 2004, Fonsi made his second acting appearance on the Mexican telenovela named Corazones al límite. He also had a special appearance in 2001 on the Nickelodeon television series Taina. Fonsi joined the cast of Broadway‘s Forever Tango for a two-week engagement in August 2013.

Horatio Sanz Reunites with Former SNL Castmates for “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” Performance on “The Tonight Show”

Horatio Sanz is spreading holiday cheer…

The 49-year-old Chilean-American actor and comedian reunited with his former Saturday Night Live cast mates Jimmy Fallon, Tracy Morgan and Chris Kattan for an encore performance of their low-tech, yet festive tune “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” on The Tonight Show, alongside pop diva Ariana Grande.

Horatio Sanz

Donning holiday sweaters in a makeshift Winter Wonderland, it was as if the audience was transported to 2000 when the quartet performed the song for the first time on SNL

 With Sanz on lead vocals and Fallon on keys and backup, they awkwardly jammed out with Kattan and Morgan who were basically just there for low-impact dancing.

Grande was also there but in a moral support capacity. All she did was stand behind Kattan as he carried out his duties as designated keyboard holder.

She bounced with them and stared at the camera longingly as if she was taking a series of pouty Instagram selfies.